NINE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN members of U.S. Congress turned their backs on millions of children and families with their vote this summer to slash federal funding for health care and other basic services for our most vulnerable to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, corporations and the super-wealthy.
These Congress members voted to pass Pres. Trump’s budget bill, which constitutes the greatest shift of wealth — from the working class to the richest Americans — in our nation’s history. The impacts of the cuts to Medicaid funding alone (nearly $1 trillion nationally over 10 years, according to reports) means about 3.4 million Californians, including many children, will lose health care coverage.
“We just witnessed one of the largest transfers of wealth from working people and those who rely on Medicaid to the rich and corporations via this bill,’” CTA President David Goldberg says. “Now, we have to hold these politicians in Congress accountable for voting to harm our students, families and communities.”
The nine California republican Congress members know no bounds when it comes to serving billionaires and corporations, literally taking food out of hungry children’s mouths to give more to people who will not ever want for anything. Cuts of $230 billion to School Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding nationally will impact schools that rely on CalFresh for free or reduced-price meals, with some areas like Rep. David Valadao’s Kings/Tulare county-area Congressional District losing both nutrition and grade level support.
“David Valadao voted to gut Medicaid and public education,” said Jesse Aguilar, Bakersfield educator and CTA Board of Directors member. “He voted to take health care away from the people in his district and to stop feeding hungry children. He abandoned our neediest communities. Shame on David Valadao!”
California schools receive more than $250 million annually in federal Medicaid reimbursements to fund school nurses, school psychologists, school counselors, speech language pathologists and other special education service providers. The recently approved funding cuts will mean fewer on-campus health supports for students with chronic illnesses, trauma and mental health needs, especially in high-need communities. Research suggests that the amount given in tax breaks to just the top 5% of earners in California alone (making more than $650,000 annually) would cover the costs to maintain SNAP and health care benefits for all current California recipients.
Our union led delegations to these elected officials this spring, visiting their offices and holding meetings to ask them to support our public schools, students and vulnerable communities. Our historic Fight For Schools campaign, culminating in five simultaneous rallies in May from the streets of San Francisco to the front door of Rep. Valadao’s office in Hanford, called on the nine republicans to do the right thing, support their constituents and defend working people in their districts.
But the Republicans chose fealty to President Trump, corporations and billionaire donors over the health and welfare of the communities they were elected to serve. Despite massive negative impacts to residents in their districts, all nine voted Yes on Trump’s budget bill, which passed by the thinnest of margins in both chambers of Congress and was signed by Trump on July 4.
“Our fight continues to defend our students and families under attack, protect vital federal funding for services our communities need, and to hold these Nasty Nine Congressional reps accountable for their votes to harm the residents in their districts,” Goldberg says. “Union educators will never forget these shameless attacks on our people, our future and our democracy.”
Congress Members Prioritizing Billionaires Over Kids
Rep. Doug LaMalfa
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (CD) 1 — CTA members in his district requested a meeting multiple times; no response. From Northern California, LaMalfa is a climate change denier who consistently votes against environmental protections despite representing a wildfire-prone district. Rural families in his district rely heavily on MediCal and school-based health services. LaMalfa has often said he wants to “protect rural health care” and criticized policies that would “harm access for vulnerable families,” but he voted to slash Medicaid
— devastating rural hospitals and school-based services in his district and leaving vulnerable families hanging.
Potential Impact: $3 billion cut to Medicaid funding over 10 years, 33,820 residents expected to lose health coverage.
Rep. Kevin Kiley
CD 3 —Kiley gained attention a few years back opposing COVID-19 safety measures and railing against public education and labor unions. He champions school privatization efforts and voted for the massive cuts that will strain safety-net schools in Sierra and Sacramento suburbs. Kiley previously claimed he would oppose “any bill that jeopardizes health care for working families,” but he voted YES on deep Medicaid cuts, including work requirements and block grants that will reduce coverage in low-income regions.
Potential Impact: $2.5 billion Medicaid cut over 10 years, 18,940 projected to lose health coverage.
Rep. Tom McClintock
CD 5 — CTA members in his district requested a meeting multiple times; no response. McClintock opposes nearly all federal social programs and environmental regulations, and has faced significant backlash from senior citizens and veterans in his community for deep cuts to the services they rely upon. He has long attacked immigrant rights and dismisses climate change. Then: Promised he would fight to “protect vital services for seniors and children.” Now: Voted for a budget that slashes health care access for exactly those groups.
Potential Impact: $3 billion Medicaid cut over 10 years, 26,955 to lose health coverage.
Rep. Vince Fong
CD 20 — A newcomer who inherited Kevin McCarthy’s old seat, Fong is closely tied to oil and big agriculture interests, showing little support for labor rights or public services.
Then: While campaigning, said he would ensure “budget discipline without hurting essential services.”
Now: Supported sweeping cuts that reduce Medi-Cal access and support for public schools — especially in underserved Central Valley districts
Potential Impact: $3 billion Medicaid cut over 10 years, estimated 30–40,000 to lose health care coverage.
Rep. David Valadao
CD 22 — Valadao reliably votes for tax cuts for the wealthy while slashing funds for public education. Since his district has the nation’s highest Medicaid enrollment, the cuts he voted to approve threaten access to health care for families, including children.
Then: Stated he would “never support a bill that hurts my constituents who depend on Medi-Cal.”
Now: Despite initial hesitation, he caved to pressure and voted for the budget bill.
Potential Impact: $4 billion Medicaid cut over next 10 years, estimated 55K–70K to lose health coverage (highest nationwide).
Rep. Jay Obernolte
CD 23 — A wealthy tech entrepreneur turned congressman, Obernolte represents some of the most impoverished areas of California yet routinely votes to give tax cuts to corporations and billionaires while
slashing health care and public education for thousands in his communities.
Then: Claimed in 2022 he would “protect access to affordable health
care for families.”
Now: Voted for Medicaid cuts that
strip health and mental health services from students and families in high-need school districts.
Potential Impact: $2.5 billion Medicaid cut over 10 years, 25K–35K projected to lose health coverage.
Rep. Young Kim
CD 40 — Kim only offered staff
to meet with CTA members in her district. Kim supports economic policies that gut services in her community to provide tax cuts to the wealthy few, has voted against abortion rights, and supports privatization of public education.
Then: Pledged to oppose Medicaid cuts and repeatedly emphasized she supports “safety nets for our most vulnerable” and “keeping kids healthy and in school.”
Now: Voted for a GOP plan that guts those safety nets, reducing school-based supports like mental health counseling and special education services.
Potential Impact: $2 billion Medicaid cut over 10 years, projected 15,315 to lose health care coverage.
Rep. Ken Calvert
CD 41 — Calvert only offered staff to meet with CTA members in his district. A long-time incumbent with deep ties to defense contractors and fossil fuel interests, Calvert has opposed LGBTQ+ rights for decades, backed Trump’s agenda to expand vouchers and privatize education, and voted to overturn the 2020 election results.
Then: Stated in local town halls that he would not support “cuts to programs families rely on.”
Now: Voted YES on the budget bill and its devastating cuts to Medicaid, which is a lifeline for school-based
services in working-class communities.
Potential Impact: $2 billion Medicaid cut over next 10 years, estimated 15K–25K to lose health coverage.
Rep. Darrell Issa
CD 48 —Refused to meet with CTA members in his district; his office staff locked their doors when our delegation showed up. One of the richest members of Congress, Issa has built a legacy of shame on anti-regulation, pro-corporate and anti-worker policies. He voted to give himself a massive tax break at the expense of his community.
Then: Claimed he supported “targeted reforms —not blanket cuts.”
Now: Voted for sweeping reductions to Medicaid that disproportionately harm working families and school districts.
Potential Impact: $1.5 billion Medicaid cut over next 10 years,
10K–20K estimated to lose health coverage.
Looking Ahead to 2026
IN APRIL, Capital & Main ran a story about the nine California Republican representatives who had voted earlier to advance the GOP’s budget blueprint. It noted that of the nine, Reps. Kim, Valadao and Calvert (clockwise from top in the story’s accompanying illustration) won their seats in 2024 by the narrowest margins — 11, 7 and 3 percentage points, respectively, and could be vulnerable to voter backlash in the 2026 election.
Why These Cuts Matter
School-Based Health Services: California school districts statewide rely on more than $250 million annually from Medicaid to fund school nurses, school counselors and other special education services. A 19% cut slashes vital funding by nearly one-fifth.
Children with Disabilities: Medicaid reduction strains compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). With funding cuts, many districts won’t be able to provide legally required special education services unless they cut general education programs.
Food & Nutrition: $230 billion in School Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts nationally will hit schools that rely on CalFresh to qualify students for free or reduced-price meals and families who rely on the program to feed their hungry children.
Health Care Coverage: A projected $28.4-billion Medicaid cut will strip coverage for approximately 3.4 million Californians.
Sources: Congressional Joint Economic Committee, California Department of Healthcare Services, U.S. Census Bureau, California Budget & Policy Center, Education Trust-West and Children Now, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post
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